Maine hermit due in court on theft charges; police say he committed hundreds of burglaries

AUGUSTA, Maine – A man charged with stealing food, clothing and other items from lakeside camps during his 27 years of living as a hermit in Maine is due in court on new burglary and theft charges.

Forty-seven-year-old Christopher Knight is to appear in Kennebec County Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon by video from the county jail. Other issues that could come up include appointment of his legal counsel and his bail.

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Officials want to raise Knight's bail from $5,000 to $250,000, saying high bail is appropriate to prevent people interested in the case from exploiting him.

Police say Knight admitted to hundreds of burglaries over the years to obtain supplies for his makeshift camp in the woods in Rome.